


lost in space, we flew astray

by iamjustakiddo



Series: digging for purple matter [2]
Category: YYY มันส์เว่อร์นะ | YYY The Series (TV)
Genre: Internal Conflict, Longing, M/M, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2020-07-16
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:00:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25315684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iamjustakiddo/pseuds/iamjustakiddo
Summary: After being gone for more than a year, Pun returns - just for a short intermediate stop in this journey they had set for themselves.
Relationships: Nott/Pun (YYY The Series)
Series: digging for purple matter [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1837924
Comments: 8
Kudos: 21





	lost in space, we flew astray

**Author's Note:**

> First of all, I want to say it's a shame that there are not more fanfics out there for these two. I am deeply saddened and in disbelief.  
> Second, I binged this show like, four days ago? And didn't expect it to hit me this hard, I cried buckets (yes, despite the crackheadery). This fic came about very spontaneously while having a crying-to-phum-viphurit-songs kinda day.  
> I hope you enjoy!  
> Title taken from Phum Viphurit's The Art of Detaching One's Heart, which I've listend to on repeat while writing this. I also recommend Run - or just his whole discography tbh.

The shop was unassuming. 

It blended away in this part of town that was so grey and cubic, only broken by the occasional neon-light shining in the advancing evening. The streets glistened after a short rain shower, painted pink and green as if to rebel against the lack of colour. It was the in-between-hour, neither loud nor quiet, neither lively nor abandoned. Most office buildings were in the process of closing up, while the 7Eleven on the corner of the street invited a lively bustle as people hurried in and out after work. Cars passed in an endless stream, hurrying home. 

Pun lingered outside the cone of streetlight, hands buried deep in his pockets. Opposite of him, a yellow square was cut into the grey towering mass. The shop looked simple, missing the flashy lights and extraordinary window decor that should attract customers. From where he stood, he could see a lonely shadow moving inside. 

A roaring bus passed his view and Pun inhaled deeply. He felt like he couldn’t breathe enough to stop the spinning in his mind. The crossing of the street and walking up to the shop’s entrance was just a blur. His eyes lingered on the white paint flaking off the door-frame - anywhere just to delay the moment he had been losing sleep over. 

Cool air-conditioning hit his face when he finally stepped inside. He found himself surrounded by high towering shelves and boxes, a chaos of tools, metals, odd looking mechanical scraps and just an overwhelming chaos that he had not realised how much he missed it. 

“Pun?” 

There he stood, hair messy and grey shirt stained with god-knew-what, sweat beading on his forehead despite the cold inside his shop. 

“Hi,” Pun said weakly, his heart somewhere in his throat. 

Nott smiled, all warm eyes and soft cheeks. As if no time had passed at all. For a moment they stood motionless, taking each other in. Pun’s neck grew hot and he dropped his gaze at last in the same moment when Nott decided to put away the box he had been holding. 

“How did you find me?” he asked, wiping his face before moving to what was probably supposed to be the counter.

“Porpla gave me the address,” Pun said.

Nott did not have to know that he would have found him with or without Porpla. That searching for him had become the first step to curing homesickness. 

“Did she beg you to stay and move in again?” 

“She did, yes,” Pun smiled when Nott laughed and shook his head fondly. 

Nott’s shoulders stretched his shirt when he crossed his arms and leaned against the counter, exuding a strong presence of  _ belonging. _ Surrounded by his gadgets and blue blinking lights, the madness locked into each of his inventions, and the easy slope of his lips. Pun had dreamt of him often and yet his brain had never gotten him quite right - now as he stood before him, he almost seemed unreal. 

“Everything alright back in the apartment?” he asked just to loosen the tension in his mind, observing a few boxes beside him that seemed to contain bundles of antennas. 

“Yeah, everything’s okay. Well,” Nott laughed again and Pun’s fingers grew even more numb. “The usual, you know how it is. Mahan and Wang Chao caused a leakage yesterday, flooding their entire floor - god knows what they had been up to.” 

Pun glanced at him, not fighting the smile. “Sounds wonderful,” he said and meant it. 

His stomach churned familiarly at the way Nott watched him. Like he was the only one that could truly see him and Pun was unsure whether he even  _ wanted  _ to be seen. Like he was being invited to something for which no words existed and all he could do was try and find out. 

Somehow, he had never minded this challenge, even when his heart threatened to burst out of his chest all the while. Despite the fear shooting into his fingertips.

“What about you? Everything fine at home?” 

“Yeah, it’s fine.” 

A pause, in which Pun bravely leaned beside him on the counter, watching the tips of their shoes. Nott’s scruffy converse against his bright sneakers. 

“Actually,” Pun continued. “I might move out in the near future. This time for real.” 

He desperately tried to ignore the warmth that radiated off the body beside him, the nimble fingers twirling a pen in his peripheral vision. Nott’s gaze weighed heavy on him and he swallowed. 

“Oh?” the careful tone in Nott’s voice betrayed him. “What do your parents think about that?” 

“I don’t think they will ever understand why I need to go,” Pun said, still staring on the floor. If he shifted a tiny bit, their shoulders would brush. “But if I convince them that I have a calling out here, they will at least accept my decision.” 

“That’s good. I hope your calling - I hope it will be worth it.” 

Pun inhaled deeply and closed his eyes for a moment. He was quite sure Nott could feel his frantic heartbeat. Was so sure that he had rarely existed as much as he did beside him.

“I’m sure it will,” he answered at last and finally dared to look up, to meet Nott’s eyes. 

He could almost count his lashes from where he stood, watch the blue reflection on his silver earrings. He had not even traced them once, and suddenly it was his biggest regret of all. They had been right there, in his reach. 

Nott smiled again, softly and quietly. Almost against his will, Pun returned it, something wild in his chest rising. Luckily, Nott pushed himself off the counter and motioned around, his smile turning proud. When he stepped out of his proximity, air returned into his lungs.

“How do you find this shop then?” 

“Messy. I would never come here,” Pun said and tapped against a lost metal can with the tip of his foot. 

“Screw you.” Nott frowned and raised his chin defiantly, humour shining in his eyes.

Smiling fondly, Pun did not mention how sweet the pride tasted on his tongue. That like this, surrounded and completely engulfed by his dream, Nott was radiant. Untouchably so.

Somewhere buried in his memory, Nott’s fingers brushed through his hair and his bones melted into liquid. He had loved it so much back then, frightened by this sudden longing. To this day it had not subsided - both the longing and the fear. It had just become a natural part of him, just like the oxygen in his lungs. 

And Pun was struggling to breathe. He barely registered when he raised his hand, feeling warm skin against his fingertips. The dark smudge on Nott’s jaw came off easily, but he couldn’t help but linger. Just for a tiny moment, let his eyes wander his face and know the warmth of it. 

It was a soft touch on his wrist that snapped him out of it and he leaned back quickly, clearing his throat. Nott smiled, as if he had made it his mission to cure Pun’s anxiety with it. It almost worked, not quite breaking through the veil tinged with stubborn guttural sadness. 

“I think I’ll get going now,” he announced when the moment of silence grew longer. He had asked for enough today. 

“Okay,” Nott said, his smile unmoving. 

Pun had expected this - he had come here with the firm goal to leave again. Of course Nott would not stop him. And he would not stay, not yet. Not when Nott’s dream was still such a fragile thing, nestled in the palm of his hand. And still, when he pushed himself off the counter and walked past him, it burned. It burned in his chest in a way that was unpredictable. 

Outside, the sky had turned completely dark, the neon-lights shining in all its glory. Pun inhaled the humid warm air deeply, as if he had been drowning. Nott stepped beside him on the doorstep, faint scent of cologne, motor oil, and sweat clinging to him, and Pun knew he would be suffocating for a little while longer; head spinning with longing. 

“Thanks for visiting,” Nott said, voice still light and posture nonchalant with how he leaned against the doorframe the way he did, purple and pink lights dancing on his face and arms.

“If you come again, I’ll give you a discount,” he added, smirking lightly. 

Pun raised his eyebrows. “I’ll keep your word for it.”

_ Of course, I will come again you dumbass,  _ he wanted to say. But Nott’s eyes still watched him with silent invitations, as if he could stay like this forever until the sun burnt out, and Pun could do nothing else but wait for him. He had learned the rhythm of the tides, knew when to reach out and when to pull away. 

“Okay then - I’ll see you around,” he raised a hand furtively. 

Nott tilted his head, eyes dark in a way that made him relieved for leaving. He felt his gaze still persistent on his back when he walked away. Something hot burned in his throat. He had spent more than a year on the other side of the universe and his heart still felt the truest like this, gasping for air. 

Maybe it was okay to wait longer then. Pun did not mind waiting until the tide came rushing back in to accept him, once it had wrapped itself completely in its dream. Maybe then he could let it sweep him away and allow him to just be himself.

.

**Author's Note:**

> Some thoughts I wanna put here: I know Pun said in the show his dream was to become the shop-owner's boyfriend, but while writing him I figured his biggest dream is just...to be himself? I have many thoughts about this but I will spare you.  
> Thank you so much for reading and appreciating this show that is absolutely bonkers but sweet <3


End file.
